


tempus fugit velut umbra (time flees like a shadow)

by BluePepper



Category: Pentagon (Korea Band)
Genre: Acquaintances to Friends to Lovers, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Fluff, M/M, Science Fiction, Supernatural Elements, lapslock
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-23
Updated: 2019-11-23
Packaged: 2021-02-25 20:53:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21538642
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BluePepper/pseuds/BluePepper
Summary: changgu never had much time to get to know his roommate, but now that the winter holidays are here, he really feels like they could become friends. after all, hongseok is actually a pretty cool guy.
Relationships: Yang Hongseok/Yeo Changgu | Yeo One
Comments: 1
Kudos: 10





	tempus fugit velut umbra (time flees like a shadow)

he's been lying down in bed, comforter pulled over his head, scrolling down his tumblr dashboard to try and make his eyes tired enough that he has no choice but to close them. it's a bit suffocating in there, but he doesn't want to wake up his roommate with the dim light of his phone. it's not that there's any risk, seeing as he's seen hongseok fall asleep in a variety of unlikely situations, but it's three in the morning. changgu feels like every sound and light take the proportions of a thunderstorm in the quiet of the night. it's also the winter holidays, and their other roommate, shinwon, is back at his parents', no doubt snoring the rooftop off his room the way he does every night. 

  
  


so it's all quiet and strange. changgu can hear the rain hitting the windows like minuscule pebbles, and he can hear his own breath, and also hongseok's, and also the loud sighs of the central heating system. he lets his phone fall screen first against his chest and pokes his head out from underneath the comforter. it's not quite that he doesn't like the quiet, but it's unsettling enough that he's restless. with shinwon and the rest of their flatmates gone, he's realising that he's never spent more than a few hours alone with hongseok. 

  
  


he turns in his bed so that he faces the opposite side of the room. a car speeds down the street, flashing yellow light through the half-opened curtains. changgu catches a glimpse of hongseok's peaceful expression, the pout on his mouth, and the slow rise and fall of his chest. 

  
  


he doesn’t know much about him, changgu thinks as he's setting down his phone on the nightstand. they've been sleeping in the same room for a few months, now, but there never was an attempt to go past the status of acquaintances. hongseok.... if changgu is honest with himself, hongseok is still a little bit intimidating to him, but he wants to become friends with him. 

  
  


it's a matter of comfort, yeah? if they become friends, there's no doubt they'll both benefit from it. he ponders a little bit over ways he could approach him, putting together strategies that probably only feel plausible to him because it’s the dead of the night. feeling content with his decision, he turns again towards the wall and finally attempts to sleep properly. 

  
  


the next morning, changgu begins to understand just how little he knows about his roommate. it's eight-thirty, on hongseok's first day of vacation, and changgu finds him reading a coursebook at the kitchen table. there's a proper korean breakfast sitting in front of him, and he's trying to eat while taking notes, with what looks like mild success. he's crouching on his chair with a blanket wrapped around him. changgu thinks he doesn't look one bit like the person he imagined him to be when he first moved in. he pulls out a glass from the cabinet and hongseok jumps a little bit, drops his pen on the table.

  
  


'oh! it's you. hi changgu!' he says. he turns to look at the clock on the wall behind him, and then combs through his bangs with his fingers. his hair has been getting too long, exams leaving little time for a haircut.

  
  


'good morning, _ hyung _! did you sleep well?' changgu asks with a bright smile.

  
  


'ah, i slept well, thank you. very well. how about you? sit down, i cooked enough for the both of us.' 

  
  


he stands up to reach for the rice cooker and waves off his roommate's protests while he fills up a bowl, so changgu ends up sitting down reluctantly.

  
  


'i also made _ pajeon _, but i put it in the oven so it doesn't cool down too fast, so you can - ah, hold on, it's easier for me to reach.'

  
  


hongseok sets the bowl on the table and grabs the plate of _ pajeon _ in the same movement. he stills mid-air for a bit.

  
  


'do you need anything else?

  
  


'no, no, thank you, that's already more than enough,' changgu gestures towards the many side dishes in front of him, 'you've made so much! you know we're the only ones here, right?'

  
  


his roommate lets out a small puff of air in amusement.

  
  


'yeah. i felt like i should take advantage of my vacation time. i miss cooking.'

  
  


'oh! you like cooking, that's great! i somehow had no idea!'

  
  


'it's not like we usually talk much,' hongseok comments with a small smile. he sits back down and opens his book again while changgu stares on. 

  
  


the food is great. there’s a ray of sunshine that’s peeking through from between the two buildings across the street. changgu hasn’t sat down to eat breakfast in ages, and certainly not in such a peaceful setting. he can only hear the flap of pages turning, even the neighbours from upstairs have quieted down from their usually noisy mornings. hongseok is focused but unhurried, and changgu is so taken by the comfortable atmosphere that he barely dares to stand up to put the dishes in the sink. he stays still and silent for some more time until he finally begins to stack plates. 

  
  


hongseok jumps again to the clatter of tableware and his eyes flicker; changgu feels everything shift immediately. it’s barely noticeable but the moment has passed, and he lets himself regret it for a little bit. he busies himself with the dishes and plastic boxes to put away in the refrigerator.

  
  


‘ah,’ he says to himself, as he checks the time on the clock, ‘it looks like we need to change the batteries on this.’ 

  
  


hongseok looks up to the wall and notices the minute hand still pointing slightly past the halfway point. he sighs, looking a bit frustrated.

  
  


‘i guess so. i thought we had already taken care of this.’

‘it’s okay,’ changgu says with a smile, taking note on the whiteboard that they all use to make grocery lists, ‘i think i need to swing by the corner store this afternoon, so i’ll make sure to pick up some of those. need anything else?’

he turns to look at hongseok, his hand still hovering by the board. hongseok pinches his lips and squints in thought. 

‘actually... i might come with. if it’s no bother!’ he adds hurriedly after a pause.

‘on the contrary,’ changgu grins, ‘i’d love to have company. around two? we could stop by the _ jokbal _ place, too, my treat. to thank you for breakfast.’

‘no way,’ hongseok starts, waving his hands in a cross shape, ‘it’s not-’

‘please, you’re such a good cook, and i feel bad that i can’t return the favour.’

hongseok lets his hands drop in defeat, obviously flattered.

‘alright, if you insist.’

changgu thinks it might not be _ too hard _ to befriend his roommate, in the end. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i've been thinking about this story for a while now, and although this is pretty much an introduction rather than a real chapter, i'm really gearing up for the whole ride to completion right now! i hope i managed to create some intrigue. let me know your thoughts!


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